Spiced nuts, olives and raisins on hummus

Light and creamy and flavourful, homemade hummus is now one of my favourite snacks. Here, I top it with raisins, pine nuts, and seasoned olives and pair it with pita and cucumber. (Note: This recipe makes about twice as much as you need for one person, but it keeps in the fridge for about 5 days.)

Method:

• Transfer the chickpeas to a food processor. Add the garlic, tahini, salt, and cumin, and process everything until it has turned into a very smooth mixture.
• Taste the hummus and adjust the seasonings as you like. Scrape the sides of the processor bowl and then, with the food processor running, slowly add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to thin the hummus to your desired texture.
• If not using the hummus immediately you can refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• If you’ve made in advance, take the hummus out of the fridge so it starts to come to room temperature.
• Put the raisins in a small bowl with the vinegar and just enough very hot water to fully submerge them and let them soak for 5 minutes.
• While the raisins are soaking, cut the olives into thin slices and toast the pita.
• Toast the pine nuts and almonds in a small pan over medium heat, stirring frequently.
• Drain the raisins and, when the nuts are just turning lightly golden, add the raisins and the olives to the pan and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Add the olive oil and let everything sizzle for 1 minute; the raisins will puff up and some of the nuts will turn dark brown.
• Add the paprika, cinnamon, cumin, and a pinch of salt and stir for 30 seconds to toast the spices.
• Remove the pan from the heat and continue to stir while the mixture cools slightly.
• Spoon about half the hummus into a low, wide bowl and use the back of a spoon to make a trough in the middle. Scoop the filling into the trough, then sprinkle on a bit more paprika. Slice the toasted pita into wedges and arrange them and some sliced cucumber or other vegetables on the side.

Recipe extracted from Snacking Dinners (Quadrille)